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Friday, April 12, 2013

42

Review by Joseph Anthony

It's that time of year again. The
weather is changing and summer is nigh upon us, signaling that
baseball, a pastime near and dear to America’s heart, is back in
season. As a new season kicks off imagine - instead of anxieties over
the playoff setup or player enhancing drugs - anxieties over racism
and rampant discrimination. 1940’s America was a different place
and 42 attempts to show us this reality and its intersection
with the world of professional sports.

Directed by Brian Helgeland (A
KNIGHT’S TALE), 42 is the story of Jackie Robinson
(played nicely by Chadwick Boseman), the first African-American to
play Major League Baseball. The film covers approximately 3 years of
Jackie’s struggle, from his last year in the Negro League to his
minor league year for the Dodgers. It’s all leading up to his
groundbreaking season with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. But this
isn’t just Robinson’s story alone. Part of the story is told
through the perspective of Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), one of the
first prominent African-American journalists to cover the game. We
also see things through the eyes of Rachel Robinson (Nicole Beharie),
Jackie’s new bride and mother to his child. A turbulent Brooklyn
Dodgers organization adds further context to the story.

While Robinson’s talent is
undeniable, the man pulling the strings is Branch Rickey (Harrison
Ford). Rickey is the owner of the Dodgers and is determined to right
a wrong – segregation – in the game that he loves. He understands
the possible backlash against himself and the organization but
through much of the film he laughs it off and ultimately embraces it.
Much of the film takes place in Rickey’s office which is
appropriately decorated with Abraham Lincoln memorabilia. Rickey is
the man behind the scenes, but along with Jackie, we’re cheering
for him. Mr. Rickey, as he is affectionately called by those around
him, is played brilliantly by Ford, giving his most convincing
performance in a decade.

Of course, the focus is Jackie. He’s
played as a tough on the outside, tough on the inside guy. He’s
constantly on the defensive, and why wouldn’t he be? His road to
history is paved with slurs, death threats, Jim Crow Laws and racism
everywhere he goes. Part of his own team even starts a petition to
have him removed (they call it the Dodgers Declaration of
Independence).

42’s largest hang up is
pacing. The film often stops for Jackie to reflect on his place in
history and whether he can “turn the other cheek” in the face of
discrimination. In fact he does this with just about every character
in the film with the result that it too often brings the momentum of
the film to a halt. It does depict the harsh reality of the
situation, but the audience is anxious to cheer for Jackie more often
than the pace allows.

Outside of pacing, 42 suffers from
occasional dialogue issues and over-explanation. This is a film that
breaks down the scenarios assuming the audience may have little to no
understanding of recent American history. This will work for a
younger audience who has no prior knowledge of segregation in this
country, but tends to stunt the movie a bit for those who know their
history. However, the film does an incredible job of recreating the
stadiums of the 1940’s. It also injects humor from time to time
with the biggest laughs coming from Dodgers radio man Red Barber
(John C. McGinley). One finds themselves wishing those radio turn of
phrases still were in use.

Much as baseball itself, films covering
the sport are often beloved. Many have become favorites of mine
including, THE SANDLOT, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, FIELD
OF DREAMS, 8 MEN OUT and of course MAJOR LEAGUE.What this tells us is that the
magic of the sport translates to film. There’s something more than
just the sport; there is a spirit to the game and season.

Going into
42, I was hoping for a bit more of this, even though I knew there
were lessons to be learned. But even though itmay not make the list of
baseball classics and sometimes struggles to find what works within
itself, it still serves an interesting look into the ugly
side of America’s favorite pastime. As we cheer in 2013 for our
home team, teams that are as diversified as any league in the world,42 lets us reflect on the man who turned his cheek the other
way, broke the barriers, and is still giving us something to cheer
for. (3 out of 4 stars)